*Bob Wentzel, a former Duke assistant, took Rutgers to the 1989 NCAAs in his first season there. Selecting him would be a slap at Virginia assistant Craig Littlepage, who was fired by Rutgers after the '88 season.

*Tom Penders moved from Rhode Island to Texas and coached the Longhorns into their first NCAA since 1979. He may be too Hollywood for Charlottesville.

*Rick Barnes coached George Mason for one season before moving last season to Providence, which lost to Virginia in the NCAAs. He is a renowned recruiter.

*Roy Williams recruited briefly for Dean Smith at North Carolina and then coaxed 19 victories out of a depleted, probation-ridden Kansas team in his first season as a head coach.

*Ernie Nestor was an assistant at JMU, Wake Forest and Cal before becoming a head coach at George Mason, which won the '89 CAA tournament in Nestor's first season.

LONGSHOTS

*Bruce Parkhill was rumored to be in trouble before coaching Penn State to the '89 NIT. He coached at William and Mary when Copeland was AD there.

*Jim Larranaga is a former Virginia assistant but has made little headway as head coach at Bowling Green.

*Mike Deane's Siena team upset Stanford in the '89 NCAA tournament, and he has recruited well for next season.

*Joe Harrington, a former Maryland assistant, moved from George Mason to Long Beach State two years ago. The 49ers are competitive in the Big West.

*Mike Newell has coached Arkansas-Little Rock to two NCAAs since '86 and was runner-up to Sonny Smith for the VCU job.

*Charlie Spoonhour and Southwest Missouri State have made three consecutive NCAA tournaments.

*Mike Schuler was fired as the Portland Trail Blazers' head coach during the season. He was a member of Holland's first staff at Virginia.

There's 24 names to chew on. Chances are, you'll hear them again. And you just might see one in University Hall come the 1990-91 season.

* Skip Miller, whose column usually appears in today's edition, is on vacation.